The Time We'll Never Forget
by Kessie-Louise
Summary: The WIP sequel to Outside In. This story is also under a working title and summary. Ree and Jeran are getting married but a virus worm is set out to destroy Ree. In the real world, Ree and Marco try to destroy the worm. On hiatus indefinitely.
1. Chapter 1

"So you left a clone of yourself in Neopia, virtually changed the rarity of paintbrushes, and you can hack into Neopets because you were 'one with the computer.' That sounds like a lousy time." Ree's cousin Marco said after she told him everything that happened.

"A lousy time! You better take that back!" she shouted at him.

"Geez cuz, don't get cranky. I'm just saying that all that adventure for nothing? What happened though? Everyone burst out singing (I've Had) The Time of My Life."

"No, but that is a wonderful idea for next time." Ree said. Marco rolled his eyes.

"And what about your new husband? What's his name, Jason."

"Jeran." Ree corrected.

"Whatever. How are you going to marry him if you are not technically there?"

"That's what my chibi clone is for. Besides, it's not like I really could get married to him to begin with."

"Now you are denying that you loved him to begin with."

"Now you are making the subject harder then what it has to be."

"You are only pushing it further over the edge cuz." Marco said with a satisfied smile. Ree reached over and gave her cousin a good pinch. He acted like her minor shot of pain didn't hurt him, but it did.

"For your information Ree and Jeran are going to be married this week. And it is going to be all over the Neopian Times." Ree said, with a slight bragging tone lingering around in her voice.

"This is getting interesting, you are addressing yourself as third person now."

Ree let her head bang on the computer keyboard. She head hit a random combination to start up Firefox and then lead her to Neopets. The thing that happened next no one was sure of, but whatever happened Ree and Marco ended up looking at the world of Neopia from a view Ree was quite familiar with. She actually had to get up and walk away from the computer to shut the bedroom door to make sure she was still in her real world home. Marco, just stared at the computer. He was at a loss for words. He was at a loss for words, until he saw something flash red on the screen.

"Hey Ree, you might want to come see this." he said.

Ree quickly came over and typed like mad on the computer. When she found the cause of the problem her face went pale.

"Oh damn. This is not good. Not good at ALL."

"What's wrong?" Marco asked.

"There's a worm in Neopets. And it's not a nice one."

"What'll it do?"

"Destroy any outer communications so the creator of the worm can see who the users are and what their names are, where they live, et cetera."

And then Ree came upon something even more disturbing. "It's after Ree."

"As much as I would love to see something that looked like you being taken care of and tossed away, this is not how it should be like."

"It would be like a homicide." Ree said, staring into space. "I have to stop it before it does anything thing."

"Ree stop!" Marco said, "It could..."

Before he could finish sparks came out from the computer and it shut off.

"Crash the computer." Marco finished.

"Now you tell me."


	2. Chapter 2

"So..." Ree said. "Since I am about to marry you, I am going to become the target of abduction because you are in such high power of King Skarrl?"

"That is exactly right." Jeran said. They were out in the castle's courtyard. Both where dressed in their armor. Ree's armor was made entirely of silver and was a gift from King Skarrl's brother; the king of Brightvale, King Hagan. "Think of it as an early wedding present," he had told them.

"I'm not sure about you, but that sounded like reverse physiology." Ree told Jeran with a smile on her face.

"That is because you think differently then most Neopets. In fact, you're hardly a Neopet yourself."

"I'm not sure to take that as a insult or a compliment." Ree said. "But talking isn't going to start a sword fight."

And on the note the two drew swords and bowed in. A short sword fight then started. Jeran was surprised that Ree was so relaxed as she fought. He tried to use it against her, but it gave him an unprotected guard and Ree knocked him down on the ground with a small pass at his ankles. She pinned him to the ground with the sword at his neck.

"Check. Mate." she said. A very satisfied smile drew its way upon her lips. Jeran observed that from the angle he was at she looked dangerous. Dangerous and beautiful. Any villain would have surrendered at her if they were in the same position he was in. What they surrendered would have been up to them to decide. Jeran had surrendered his heart.

Ree removed the sword from Jeran's throat and placed it on the ground. She then helped him get back on his feet again.

"You have earned my admiration for you sword skills." Jeran said, bowing to Ree. She bowed back.

"You were a great aid in my learning." she said. Although Jeran had never taught her to use or sword, nor had he used one with her around.

They took a break for lunch and to catch up with Lisha, who had spent the morning with her friends. The three had lunch in the royal dinning room with only them there.

"Where do you think the honeymoon spot should be?" Jeran asked as they waited for the cook to finish the meal.

"Shouldn't we survive the wedding first?" Ree joked.

"You are discussing this over lunch? Really?" Lisha asked, getting annoyed.

"Would we rather talk about what you did today with your friends?" Ree asked, rather nicely. Lisha quickly had a horrified look on her face. She shook her head.

"No! Please, continue with your wedding stuff." the girl said with her face completely red. Ree smiled generously at the Aisha until Jeran asked for attention again.

"Where do you want the honeymoon to be?" Jeran asked again.

"How about Happy Valley? I heard they have beautiful ice skating rinks." Ree suggested. "I think they also put in some cabins for tourists and whatnot."

"Sounds like an interesting spot. What do think Lisha?" Jeran said. Lisha looked up. She didn't know she was going be part of anything wedding related besides being the maid of honor.

"What?" she absentmindedly asked.

"What do you think about Happy Valley for after the wedding?"

Lisha looked extremely confused.

"We've decided to let you come with us." Ree explained. "It would be more of a vacation then a honeymoon that way, besides we didn't want to just leave you alone in Meridell with King Skarrl looking after you."

Lisha didn't know whether to feel upset that they thought she couldn't stay home alone, or excited because they wanted to take her with them.

"I... um..." Lisha studdered. "Happy Valley sounds nice... I guess."

Lisha laid back on the seat and stared at the ceiling. The cook came in with their lunch and they started to eat. Ree, couldn't help but look at Lisha and wondered what the two could do together.

"Lisha, I haven't picked out a dress yet. Would you like to come with me?" Ree asked before taking a causal sip of water.

"Okay." Lisha said, secretly wishing she had something else to do.

"What about this one?" Ree asked holding a dress up in front of her body. Lisha said nothing and just stared at Ree.

"You're right, it's ugly." Ree said. The Usul shopkeeper overheard this and was insulted. Lisha and Ree took no notice though.

Ree put the dress back on the rack and went to sit next to Lisha. Lisha moved over a chair further away from Ree.

"Lisha," Ree started, "This is going to be a dumb question, but do you hate me?"

Lisha humphed and turned away from Ree.

"That's what I thought." Ree sighed. Then she thought of something.

"Leesh, we are all at weird ages." she said. Lisha pretended not to hear, although she thought it might be interesting.

"Your brother is at the age where his body does the talking when finding a girl. Unfortunately for us that girl is me." (Lisha rolled her eyes at this.) "I am at the age where I want some one small and adorable to care for and spoil to death. That, ever so happens, to be you." (Lisha snickered. That explained some of the things that Ree was making her do nowadays.) "And you are at the age when you detest anything in girl species that your brother brings through the door. That, somehow, points back at me."

Lisha raised her eyebrow. How could Ree have known that? Maybe she was more experienced the what Lisha gave her credit for.

"And don't worry about having any neices or nephews anytime soon." Ree then said, "Not by blood at the most."

"Honest?" Lisha asked.

"Honest to goodness." Ree promised.


	3. Chapter 3

"How did you two break a computer AND flush out the hard drive?" Ree's uncle Thomas asked Ree and Marco. Thomas fixed computers for a living and was just the person to ask about how to fix Ree's fried computer.

"You might be surprised and angry if we tell you." Marco said.

"IF, we tell you?" Thomas repeated. "Sounds like you two are going to be in more trouble if you don't tell me at all."

The cousins looked at each other. Would they rather get in trouble for dealing with a virus on their own, or watch Neopia suffer and let Ree's clone disappear forever? Might as well tell the truth...

"There's a worm in Neopia!" Ree said at the same time Marco said,

"Ree tried to destroy a virus worm!"

Thomas looked at them.

"I heard the word 'worm' from both of you. But that's all I got. Would you care to explain better this time?"

In rounds, the cousins explain the situation to Thomas. He did his best to understand what they were saying, since only half of it made sense. What in the world was this Neopia and Meridell? And why did Ree have a clone of herself that hardly anyone knew about? Thomas would later blame it on the triple chocolate layer cake that his wife would make the kids eat before bedtime. But Ree and Marco agreeing on the same subject? There had to be some truth to what they were saying. That, or they had been rehearsing this for quite some time.

"Interesting." Thomas finally said. "So you want to destroy this virus to save Ree's clone that looks like her and somehow has all of her memories? All without the virus worm destroying anything else in Neopia?"

"Yes." Ree and Marco said at the same time.

Thomas cocked an eyebrow. There was something that you didn't see everyday. Ree and Marco actually agreeing. Perhaps this wasn't rehearsed after all.

Thomas rubbed the bridge of his nose with his forefingers as he thought. Ree and Marco looked impatiently on.

"If I help you find and track down this worm, would you explain one thing to me?" Thomas finally said.

'"Anything!" Ree said, while Marco said at the same time, "What is it?"

"How do Rebeccah and Jeran propose to..." (Thomas decided to choose his words carefully on this.) "Reproduce."

"Well," Ree started, ready to tell all. "Both Rebeccah and Jeran have decided that since she is too young to be declared a legal adult, they will hold off on the baby spawning until a month after Rebeccah's 20th birthday. If they choose to adopt from the Neopian Pound, this rule does not apply."

Thomas thought about this for a moment. Ree and Marco were nearly hugging each other in a panicked uncertainty.

"That's doable for now." Thomas said with a smile. "Where's the computer? We'll need to crack it from the inside out if you want to get rid of that worm."


	4. Chapter 4

"Did any of you girls notice that the sun went down earlier today then what it usually does?" Jeran asked as he came through the door.

"No." Lisha and Ree said shaking their heads.

"I asked the king about it too. Even he had noticed the unusual timing."

"How about you sit down and relax a bit?" Ree asked, motioning for him to sit next to her, "Dinner is almost done and Lisha's been good. All we need now is for you to unwind after dealing with..."

"Domestic violence. Nothing new."

"Come sit." Ree said, using an inviting tone. Jeran looked at Ree and she simply looked at him back with a sweet smile. Lisha looked on, slightly confused and disgusted at what she was seeing.

Ree and Jeran acted more like really great friends then lovers. Sure, Ree blushed when Jeran complimented her. But what girl wouldn't? From what Lisha could see (and she saw a lot because she spyed on them a lot) they never kissed each other when the other was in the room, they didn't have cute yet disgusting nicknames for each other, and Lisha was sure that they were supposed to sleep in the same bedroom with each other. They were engaged and they had not slept in the same room with each other, there has to be something wrong about that. But Lisha wasn't one to speak up about the subject. She was only 12 after all.

Jeran and Ree talked to each other for quite awhile until Ree announced that dinner was finally done. As Lisha walked into the kitchen, she heard Ree sing a unfamiliar tune.

"Cause baby you're a firework,

Come on, show 'em what you're worth.

Make 'em go 'Oh, oh, oh!'

As you shoot across the sky-y-y.

Baby you're a firework,

Come on let your colors burst.

Make 'em go 'Oh, oh, oh!'

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own."

Jeran, who was sitting at the table half way slumped over from exhaustion, listened intently. Some times Ree would sings songs that no one knew. And it never hurt to ask what it was.

"What is it this time?" Jeran asked with a smile. Ree looked up like she had no idea what she was doing. She blinked several times in thought before she answered him.

"Firework by Katy Perry."

"Sounds wonderful."

Ree smiled. "Thanks."

Lisha turned the other way and pretended to gag.

Dinner played on as usual with Lisha's antics to not see Ree and Jeran, and with Ree in her human form. It was when bedtime came around that Jeran decided to ask something that hadn't had been thought of much.

"Did you brush you teeth?" Jeran asked Lisha, who was in her PJs and in bed.

"Yep." she said, showing off her pearly whites.

"Take a quick bath?" he asked.

"Yep." Lisha said, offering the top of her head for Jeran to smell the soap.

"Did you read two chapters of your favorite book?"

"Yep." Lisha held up a book with a bookmark in it, to prove that she had read more of it.

Jeran tapped his chin in thought. "Now there is something else that I think I had forgotten." he said, in an amusing tone. "What in the world could that have been? I wonder..."

Lisha giggled. No matter how many people occupied the house, Jeran and Lisha always did their bedtime routine.

"Ah, that's right." Jeran said as if he remembered something. "I remember what we're missing."

He then leaned in real close to Lisha, and whispered to her,

"Can I keep you in my heart and soul so that we never part? So we can live forever together no matter where we are?"

Lisha looked at her brother straight in the eye and gave a sleepy yawn before she answered,

"Forever and ever."

"Forever is a really long time, you know."

"Not when you're by my side."

Jeran kissed his sister on the forehead.

"Goodnight Lisha."

"Goodnight Jeran."

Jeran backed out of the room while he watched his sister drift into a blissful sleep. He leaned on the doorpost and thought to himself of how beautiful she was going to be when she grew up. Then, he'll be dealing with more then just domestic violence.

Jeran walked past Ree's bedroom to his own, and heard her softly sing a song called she had identified as Smile by Lily Allen before.

"Knock, knock." Jeran said as he tapped her door. Ree jumped at the vanity, where she was brushing her hair up into a bun.

"Jeran, please do not do that! Make me jump out of my skin for goodness sakes..."

"She's asleep." Jeran informed Ree.

"So? We don't do anything different when Lisha's sleeping."

Jeran came in closer to the vanity. He got close enough that his reflection shown in the mirror.

"I was wondering if you would like to sleep in my bedroom tonight, with me." Jeran said casually.

Ree surprised herself so horribly that she fell off the stool of the vanity. Jeran helped her up.

"Sleep in bed? With you!" she said like it was an unwritten fear.

"I know what you're thinking." he said calmly.

"Oh, you better." Ree told him.

"I promise not to do anything until we are married." Jeran said to her.

"Promise?" Ree asked, wanting to be sure.

"Until the day Kass has my head in his trophy room." Jeran promised.

Ree couldn't help but scan his face for lies. When he came clean to the test, she agreed to sleep with him, but only for that night.

Jeran was already half way sleeping before Ree actually came into his bedroom. She had to admit, she was nervous.

"It's just me." she whispered as she crawling into the bed. She decided to face Jeran, since he would be facing her as well. However, just when she was ready to drift into sleep, Jeran turned around so he was facing away from her. Unknowingly, Ree moved closer the Jeran and place her arm on top of his, where she did drift off into sleep. He was so comfortable and warm, that she had nothing but sweet dreams through the night. But something in Neopia wasn't sleeping at that moment. And it wasn't the Snowager.

Slowly, a black mist crept along the borders of Neopia from the heavens. Once it reached ground, it started to search for communication. For passages to the outside world. It was looking a link that connect Neopia to the real world. In a way, it was looking for Ree.


End file.
